2019 Coral Challenge Cup Sixth Round Review

The Coral Challenge Cup sixth round began with an all-Championship tie on Friday night as Halifax eased to a 34-6 win at Dewsbury Rams. A rapid start from Fax saw Chester Butler and James Woodburn-Hall cross with Steve Tyrer converting twice for 12-0. James Saltonstall extended the lead further with a try on 22 minutes with Tyrer kicking for 18-0.

The Rams hit back through Lucas Walshaw with Liam Finn converting for 18-6 into the interval. A second Butler score came six minutes after the restart before Shaun Robinson touched down and Tyrer kicked for 28- 6. The gloss on the win came late on for the visitors as Saltonstall claimed his second try ahead of Ben White kicking a last gasp penalty goal for 34-6 to book a place in the last eight.

Hull FC eased into the last eight with a 28-12 in over Castleford Tigers. The Tigers struck first with a Peter Mata'utia penalty goal inside six minutes for 2-0 before being pegged back superbly as Jake Connor, Bureta Faraimo and Albert Kelly crossed for FC with ex-Tiger Marc Sneyd converting the lot as well as a penalty goal for 20-2. Cas hit back with a James Clare try which Mata'utia converted for 20-8 into the interval.

Sneyd made it 22-8 to FC with a 50th minute penalty before both sides score late on with Mark Minichello (Sneyd conv) going over ahead of a Cory Aston effort for the Tigers for 28-12.

Friday's third tie saw a cross-division battle as Wakefield Trinity claimed a 26-6 win over Championship side Widnes Vikings. The Vikings opened the scoring with Lloyd Roby's 19th minute try with Jack Owens converting for 6-0. Wakefield levelled through Max Jowitt with Ryan Hampshire converting for 6 all into the interval.

Wakefield took just three minutes of the second half to go ahead as David Fifita crossed with Hampshire kicking for 12-6. The Vikings remained in the hunt until Trinity ran riot in the final ten minutes with three scores in five minutes from Ben Jones-Bishop, Lee Kershaw and Justin Horo, Hampshire converting just the latter for 26-6.

Saturday's action began with cup holders Catalans Dragons storming to a 62-6 win over League One side Doncaster RLFC. The Dragons struck first with Brayden Wiliame's eighth minute try which Sam Tomkins converted for 6-0 before the Dons levelled at 6 all with a  Connor Bower try which Matty Beharrell converted. Catalans restored the lead with a Matt Whitley effort which Tony Gigot converted for 12-6 due to Tomkins having left the field with injury and he improved an effort from Jason Baitieri for an 18-6 lead into the interval.

The break hindered the Dons as they were swept away in the second half, Whitley crossed for his second ahead of a David Mead brace which saw Gigot convert the lot for 36-6. Wiliame claimed his second try just a minute ahead of a Fouad Yaha try (Gigot conv) for a huge 46-6 advantage. Gigot touched down for a try of his own before Wiliame went over twice in four minutes for his hat-trick and quadruple and a 58-6 lead. The rout was complete with 73 minutes on the clock as Yaha scored his second try to round off a 62-6 victory.

Hull Kingston Rovers secured a spot in the last eight as they came from behind to win 32-18 at Salford Red Devils. KR opened the scoring on six minutes through Kane Linnett with Ryan Shaw converting for a 6-0 lead that was cancelled out by three Salford scores. Krisnan Inu, Niall Evalds and Kris Welham all touching down and Inu converting the latter for a 14-6 lead into the interval.

Inu added a penalty goal for 16-6 on 46 minutes before Josh Drinkwater's try for the visitors saw Shaw kick to make it 16-12. Inu sent through another penalty goal for 18-12 but it was to be the hosts final score as KR staged a huge turnaround. Junior Vaivai touched own ahead of tries from Danny Addy and ex-Salford forward Weller Hauraki with Shaw converting the lot and adding a penalty goal to wrap up a 32-18 success.

The biggest shock of the round saw Championship side Bradford Bulls stun Super League derby rivals Leeds Rhinos with a 24-22 win at Odsal. Leeds struck early with Tui Lolohea crossing and Liam Sutcliffe converting for a 6-0 lead that was quickly cut to 6-4 by Dalton Grant's try. Callum McLelland restored the Rhinos lead with Sutcliffe kicking for 12-6 on 13 minutes but the Bulls rallied back in style with Jake Webster, Sam Hallas and Mikey Wood all crossing with Rowan Milnes converting twice for 20-12. Milnes added a penalty goal for 22-12 before Sutcliffe did the same to make it 22-14 into the interval.

Leeds cut the gap further with Harry Newman's try for 22-18 and it inspired Milnes to go for goal with a 64th minute penalty, kicking for 24-18. Leeds set up a frantic finish with a Tom Briscoe try on 74 minutes but Sutcliffe's missed conversion allowed Bradford to hold on for a famous 24-22 win.

In attendance at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Sunday as Warrington Wolves edged a 26-24 win over Wigan Warriors. The Wolves opened the scoring through Bryson Goodwin with Stefan Ratchford converting for a 6-0 lead inside eight minutes. Wigan levelled as Sam Powell touched down and Zak Hardaker kicked for 6 all but the equality lasted just three minutes as ex-Warrior Jack Hughes crossed with Ratchford kicking for 12-6. The sides exchanged tries once more as Tommy Leuluai and Daryl Clark registered efforts with Hardaker and Ratchford kicking as the Wolves led 18-12 into the interval.

Hardaker cut the gap with a penalty goal within two minutes of the restart for 18-14 before the try exchange resumed, Ryan Atkins (Ratchford conv) and Dan Sarginson crossing to push the score to 24-20. Hardaker went over for a try and converted to level at 24-24 but the Warriors were to suffer defeat as Ratchford's 68th minute penalty gave the Wolves a 26-24 lead that they held on to.

The round ended on Sunday evening with St Helens sealing the final place in the last eight with a 22-16 win at Huddersfield Giants. Saints struck the first try on 12 minutes with Regan Grace crossing for a 4-0 lead that was cancelled out four minutes later with Joe Wardle diving over to score and ex-Saint Lee Gaskell converting for a 6-4 lead. Lachlan Coote drew Saints level with a penalty goal but Hudds replied with Aaron Murphy's try for 10-6. Theo Fages crossed for the visitors who would lead into the interval after Coote's conversion for 12-10.

Coote crossed for a try of his own on 52 minutes to make it 16-10 before Hudds levelled with Wardle's second try and Gaskell's conversion, 16 all. The tie was settled just after the hour as Kevin Naiqama crossed and Coote kicked for a 22-16 lead that Saints held on to as they reached the last eight.